Recently I was at the movie theater watching the second installment of the new Batman franchise, The Dark Knight. The movie itself was very good, but it was something that the crowd did that got me thinking. This Batman is very violent and dark, with the late Heath Ledger’s Joker being a psychotic killer out to commit evil just for the fun of it. And he does commit much evil and scatters death across the film. The audience’s reaction to much of this was laughter.
Some of the violence was played for laughs, but not to the extent that I heard laughter erupting from those watching. Of course, the movie isn’t real so no one is really dying, but just the fact that on screen hundreds of people were dying and everyone in the audience seemed to find that the most entertaining was quite disturbing.
Is this really the society of America as a whole? Are we really that calloused to death and violence that we find it funny in any movie that isn’t based on a true story?
There is a new movie coming out shortly entitled Deathrace. It is about a new reality tv show in where the contestants are pitted against each other in a race where the cars are equipped with weapons and the winner is the one who survives. I wonder how close America is to having that become a reality on television screens and not merely a fictional movie.
It’s an interesting thought to be sure. I know sometimes I fall prey to these kind of thoughts as well, and it’s hard not to in this media driven society where death and war is treated just like every other news story. People forget or maybe don’t even know what it means for people to be brutally murdered and taken advantage of by violent acts. That is why I think it is so important to have movies that are based on true stories and show people the real tragedies of violence and war.
So maybe next time you go see that new movie, check yourself and see if you think people dying is funny, because I’m sure there are plenty of people out there who would assure you that it isn’t.
Every new beginning…
11 years ago
2 comments:
True that,
Violence in America and else where has become an entertainment commodity. In poorer parts of the world, where Hollywood's entertainment 'magic' has not yet reached, violence is still very real. Try to imagine seeing a typical, grossly violent American film in Africa. Do you think that audience would be laughing as you have described the Americans to do? We American's with our middle class suburbias have been able to separate ourselves from the reality of the world. I bet the average American does not even know who Robert Mugabe is. This is what happens when we let the media run our lives; we become desensitized to things we should be sensitive to. And we have the nerve to wonder why so many young people engage in violence.
I should admit up front that the magic trick with the pencil did make me laugh, and despite how wrong it may be, that might have been my favorite part.
However, i agree with you on the state of Hollywood and, moreover, its audiences. The Joker's evil highlighted the good in Batman (and, moreover, in the people on those boats). The Dark Knight, for all its grit, delivers a powerful message in Harvey Dent's speech: the night is always darkest just before the dawn.
Sadly, i don't expect dawn in America. I saw the commercial for Deathrace, and although it appealed to me on the basis that it reminded me of the old Twisted Metal games i used to play, i agree the thought ran through my head "wait, how long before this is on NBC?"
Some people might say never, but i'm not that naive. I remember the Colosseum.
Post a Comment